In March 2018, during the third Test match between Australia and South Africa in Cape Town, a major controversy erupted when Australian cricketer Cameron Bancroft was caught on camera attempting to alter the condition of the ball using sandpaper. The incident led to immediate investigations by Cricket Australia, resulting in significant sanctions for the players involved.

Steve Smith, who was the captain at the time, and vice-captain David Warner were both suspended from international and domestic cricket for 12 months. Cameron Bancroft received a nine-month suspension. The incident sparked a global conversation regarding the culture of the Australian cricket team and the ethics of the sport. While the players admitted to their roles in the scheme, the discovery of the act was largely attributed to the high-definition television coverage present at the venue. Recent retrospectives, such as those reported by the Hindustan Times, highlight that the exposure of the plot was largely an accidental consequence of the broadcast cameras focusing on the players at the specific moment the tampering occurred, rather than a pre-planned investigative effort by officials.